The French Expression Aller Is Integral

The French verb aller, which means to go, is used in many French idiomatic expressions. Learn how to go fishing, get to the bottom of things, go away and more with this list of expressions with aller. Theres a good reason why so many expressions use aller; its one of the most common and important verbs in the French language. There are a few basics to keep in mind with aller.  First, its an irregular verb, so it doesnt follow typical conjugation patterns. You just have to memorize its many forms. Second, the very common passà © composà © tense of aller uses the auxiliary verb à ªtre. (Je suis allà © means  I went, I have gone). This means that the past participle in this instance, has to agree with the Je,  or the I thats speaking. So If a girl said that, the past participle would have an additional e at the end of the participle to indicate a feminine subject: Je suis  allà ©e.   Another important peculiarity of aller is its use in constructing the near future. Combine the present tense of  aller the infinitive of an action verb to make the near future, or  le futur proche. The construction means  to be going to or to be going to do something. Common French Expressing Using Aller French Expression English Translation aller à   la pà ªche to go fishing aller à   la rencontre de quelqu'un to go meet someone aller à   pied to go on foot aller à   quelqu'un to be becoming, to suit aller au-devant de quelqu'un to go meet someone aller au fond des choses to get to the bottom of things aller avec quelque chose to match; to go with something aller chercher to go get; to get; to fetch aller de pair avec to go hand in hand with aller en voiture to go by car aller sans dire; à §a va sans dire to go without saying; that goes without saying Allez-y! Go ahead! Allons donc! Come on then! Allons-y ! Let's go! Ça va ? Comment allez-vous ? Comment vas-tu ? How are you? On y va ? Shall we go? On y va ! Let's go! s'en aller to go away

Inductive Vs. Inductive Reasoning - 1690 Words

Although inductive reasoning is– as we shall see - not logically continuous, it is nevertheless a seemingly parsimonious avenue for the formation of theories and conceptions about the world around us. The sun has risen and fallen every day up until this point in time and while this may not logically prove that it will do the same tomorrow, the popular belief is that this repetition gives us a firm ontological grounding for expecting it to do so. This does not seem unreasonable, at least in one sense of the word; indeed, if you happened to meet an individual who claimed to possess an agnostic belief about whether or not the sun is likely to reappear tomorrow, then you would most likely consider them to be a very odd person. So inductive inferences are all around us, they are the functional basis of our understanding of the world. For the sake of this paper, then, it is important to understand what we mean when we talk about an inductive inference. Presented in its most rudimentary construct, the inductive inference appears in the logical form: (I) Pa1,..., Pan Pan+1, or (II) Pa1,†¦, Pan AxPx. Let us briefly explore these two statements. In statement (I), an+1 denotes a different object or form from those denoted by a1 ,†¦., an. During the application of these principles (I) and (II), we are to assume that we do not know any non-P’s, and furthermore that the class of a1 ,..., an are the sole objects for which we know that they are P’s. Now,Show MoreRelatedHallmarks of Scientific Research4197 Words   |  17 Pagesworld. There are two processes by which reason tries to understand events: deductive reasoning, based on generally accepted principles, and inductive reasoning, in which general principles are formed from observed events. The field of economics has deductive and inductive sides, which are complementary to each other. Read more: Induction Vs. Deduction Economics | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_5427109_induction-vs-deduction-economics.html#ixzz2KoG5qmEy Deduction in Economics †¢ DeductiveRead MoreAn Analysis Of Kathryn Schulz s Writing, An Essay, Evidence, And Self Subversive Thinking959 Words   |  4 Pagesthe two to the ways they think and speak. ? â€Å"[†¦] evidence is the engine that drives the entire miraculous machinery of human cognition† (Schulz, 364). One of the most important parts of thinking is inductive reasoning, which is referred to in the essay multiple times. Schulz states that inductive reasoning is something that is there from birth, and as you grow older, you are learning the most important things of your life, such as the English language. â€Å"Your parents didn’t teach you to talk by sittingRead MoreDisney Pixar Released Pete Docter s Movie, Inside Out1400 Words   |  6 Pagesbriefly covers the way our minds operate during psychological changes, such as hitting puberty, psychological stressors, family psychology, inductive and deductive reasoning. (Chamary, JV. â€Å"How Inside Out Explains the Science of Memory.† Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 30 Aug. 2015). 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Internal Auditor1688 Words   |  7 PagesMarketing Manager VS Internal Auditor I’m currently working as a Fraud Risk Analyst for Best Western International, where I use evidence, statements and testimony to identify and analyze fraudulent activity and trends to help lower one of today’s largest hotel chain’s fraud risk. Even though, my position normally requires the individual to have a Bachelor’s degree in the Hospitality Industry, Accounting, Finance, Administration or a similar field, my experience within the company and analyticalRead MoreInductive Deductive Research801 Words   |  4 PagesINDUCTIVE DEDUCTIVE RESEARCH APPROACH Meritorious Prof. Dr. S. M. Aqil Burney Director UBIT Chairman Department of Computer Science University of Karachi burney@computer.org www.drburney.net Designed and Assisted by Hussain Saleem hussainsaleem@uok.edu.pk 06th March 2008 Well begun is half done --Aristotle, quoting an old proverb 2 Research Methods In research, we often refer to the two broad methods of reasoning as the deductive and inductive approaches. ResearchRead MoreStudent-Centered Learning Methods vs. Teacher-Centered Learning Methods1198 Words   |  5 PagesStudent-Centered Learning Methods vs. Teacher-Centered Learning Methods Abstract The different types of student-centered learning methods are described and compared to teacher-centered approaches. Different studies were researched with mixed results. Student-centered methods, when applied to secondary education students and above, provide social and emotional value to the students and improve reasoning and creative ability. Teacher-centered methods work best in theRead MorePassive Observations And Active Experimentation1010 Words   |  5 Pagesanother way of producing knowledge. Inductive and deductive reasoning can also count as a way of producing knowledge. Inductive reasoning is reasoning in which the properties pursue it supply strong evidence for the conclusion. Deductive reasoning is the logical way of getting to a conclusion. The areas of knowledge that will be discussed in the essay will be Mathematics and Natural Sciences. The way of knowing that will be discussed in the essay will be doing vs. thinking and ethics / culture. TheRead MoreThe 5 Hearth s Of Civilization2028 Words   |  9 PagesAristotle was considered Plato’s most prized student, they had their differences. As a devoted follower of Socrates, Plato was an idealist. He developed what is known as inductive reasoning, which is going from a specific observation to a generalization. On the other hand, Aristotle was a realist who introduced deductive reasoning, which is going from a general statement to a specific, logical conclusion. The differences between these two men and the philosophical debate between them is demonstratedRead MoreThe Puppy That Lost Its Way1048 Words   |  5 Pagesbasic definition or dictionary meaning of a word. The connotation of a word is its emotional content. 3) Deductive Reasoning- Reasoning in which ideas are at the beginning and proof follows. Essays, textual commentary, and loose sentences are deductive. 4) Inductive Reasoning- Reasoning in which ideas come at the end. Global commentary and periodic sentences are inductive. 5) Thesaurus- A book that lists words in groups of synonyms and related concepts. 6) Homophone (homonym)- Each

Environmental Impact in Australia Issues and Techniques

Question: Discuss about the Environmental Impact in Australia for Issues and Techniques. Answer: Introduction Biodiversity in Australia is both unique and rich. Around 10% of total species on earth exists and occurs in Australia. Though these resources has been managed historically but their substantial loses could not be overlooked. The loss of native vegetation is approximately 1 million ha. Species extinctions are on high rate in the freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems. So many other factors have brought out the necessity to consider the reasons of this degradation. And what all could be done to protect all this. Hence, this paper will identify the major issue and determine potential ideas to overcome these issues. Major Environmental Issues and Techniques to solve them Disobeying the rules made by the nature associated with biophysical subsystem of the Earth might be injurious or even calamitous attributable to the danger of overpass verges and may trigger unexpected changes in the environment. Majority of issues related to environment arises due to the modification in human-induced habitation, water disposal and use of resources. Such as, diversion of water flows for human use results in reduced freshwater flow, impacts on biodiversity as a result of indirect activities like (use of pesticide, habitat clearing) and direct activities( fishing and hunting) and water and air pollution (Hobday and McDonald, 2014). Though Australia is at the forefront in managing environmental changes, still faces many challenges related to it. There are four recent controversies in the environment of Australia which focuses on legislative and policy settings for promoting and resolving the conflict. The four examples of issues are climate policy, mining and CSG extraction, fisheries conflicts mining and fresh-water resource management. These issues represent diverse contemporary environmental encounters range (Hobday and McDonald, 2014). Addressing National Mitigation Efforts through Climate Change and Policy Instruments Politics in climate change policies is highly diverged and in past decades policies has undergone major setbacks. During the times of Howard government (year 1996-2007) Climate policy was considered by preferring reluctance to commit Australia and voluntary emissions reductions measures to productions diminutions goals. Climate change mitigation is a global problem which needs joint resolutions. In September 2013, federal government introduced another setback in climate policy of Australia. According to older one carbon tax repealing was a key factor in governments success, as soon the new government stepped in, they abolishes Climate Commission, now according to new rule it has been replaced with a multibillion dollar fund to provide incentives to reduce emissions (Hobday and McDonald, 2014). Coal Seam Gas Development and Rapid Growth in Mining In Australia the land owner does not have rights over the minerals beneath their land and government have rights to use it but with the consent of owner. Few of them opposes this use as it lowers down the quantity and quality of resources required for stock watering and irrigation. The main issues impacting environment are fragmentation and habitat disturbance; building pipelines and lines in place of national parks, disposal of the salt by-product from CSG extraction, disposal of wastewater and treatment and ecological impacts of groundwater extraction and potential contamination. The extraction of CSG and Coal too impact environment significantly, primarily at Queensland Coast. Federal government has committed to delegate decision making authority to states, regarding extension of CSG mining and coal mining. Results will be known a little soon (Hobday and McDonald, 2014). Conà ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¡ict in Marine Fisheries Australians consumes sea food more than average global per capita per person which is 17kg while the average sea food consumed in Australia per person is 26kg which is a matter of concern, though it is amongst top countries in fisheries management and ecological status. Fishing capacity has been reduced and stocks overexploitation of Australian waters has been declined due to strict quota management, and implementation of many harvesting strategies helps the stocks in rebuilding therefore fisheries in Australia are relatively uncontroversial (Hobday and McDonald, 2014). Conversely, other species could be affected by fishing abundance which includes by catch species which has been discarded such as dolphins, seabirds, turtles and seals non target species which has been retailed for sale. Fishing gear contact also results in habitats impact. Hence, the main concern has been given to reducing by-catch species, mainly marine mammals, turtles and sea birds and to reduce damage to habitat. Nation is even standing at the forefront of closing fisheries in case by-catch species limits exceeds, hence trying to minimise impacts on habitats and protected species (Hobday and McDonald, 2014). Storage in a Dry Landscape and Freshwater Allocation Best use of Freshwater has always been a matter of concern for the nation and hydroelectricity generation and irrigation dominated these concerns. Considering water issues for future generation of Australia, in spite facing drought in 2010, Southwest and South Australia is under danger for water scarcity in future as the climate change portends. Hence, the reactions to the period drought justifies closer look which includes reforming laws related to freshwater for both state and national level, so that urban water supplies could be safeguarded (Hobday and McDonald, 2014). Environment Management to tackle issues A number of administration and policy innovations would help Australia in tacking the above future issues. Enforcement and wider application of changes is needed to dramatically improve status and health of Australias environmental assets. Climate change mitigation needs programmatic, strategic and comprehensive review of conservation regimes and resource management to evaluate adaptability and effectiveness in case the climate changes. Enhanced integration of traditional zone and emergency control, for example, conservation and land use planning could prove important in climate-adaptive regimes (Hobday and McDonald, 2014). As per Coal Seam Gas Development and Rapid Growth in Mining is concerned, the minister in Environment Department should consult IESC (Independent Expert Scientià ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ c Committee) before taking any decision on a CSG proposal related to Large Coal Mining and Coal Seam Gas development. Along with this, other MNESs also need to be considered which could be affected by the development in Acts. To tackle the conflicts in marine fisheries, Strategic ecological steps has been taken considering all fisheries under the act EPBC, in order to offer additional analysis of the environment impacts of a given à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ shery in Australia. For applying this effect evaluation of independent stock is desired in order to set catch levels according to prescribed rules, accompanied by comparing environmental sustainable development context against à ¯Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ sherys administration plans that deliberates impressions on habitats and non-target species. To manage the water flow new reforms has been agreed to introduce planning arrangements of water at both national and state level which can ensure minimised ecological flows for the river systems and address over allocation. These reforms had made amendments to mechanisms related to water entitlements so in order to maintain resources. The rights to property has been separated from water rights which enables them to be allocated and traded with best value possible and hence enhance the chances for land owners to make future decisions about their land use (Hobday and McDonald, 2014). Energy: An important issue or not? Energy is what enables us to do the work. It exists in various different forms such as electrical, mechanical, chemical and radiant energy/ According to law of thermodynamics it can neither be created not be destroyed but can be changed from one from to another. Energy is considered as an important issue in relation to environment complete climate change and mitigation efforts as they are dependent on it. Hence it is important to consider renewable energy and energy efficiency. One of the major issues in generating renewable energy though a wind farm is they are acting dangerous for bird populations. Although it is good in reducing greenhouse gas emissions but linked environmental cost due to bird strikes cannot be ignored. Innovative quantitative and qualitative tools accounting broader range of economic, social and environmental objectives could assist judgment makers in resolving such trade-offs. EIA steps while seeking Project Approval This process has been divided into two groups. The first process is referral i.e. whether the process should be send or not for approval and the second is decision whether to approve the project or to reject it. Referral Process Step 1: To check whether the planned project will impact matter of national environment significantly such as national heritage places, migratory species, nuclear actions etc. and to confirm that planned action will significantly impact the general environment in a good way. If the answers to the above question are NO then one should abort the project and if yes then one can refer the proposed project to the minister. Step 2: Minister takes 20 working days to decide on the approval under EPBC act. In case minister does not find it feasible person is informed about the same. In case minister finds it feasible he can reply with three possibilities which are controlled action, Not controlled action particular manner and not controlled action respectively. In In first case proposed plan needs to be submitted for approval while in other two approvals is not required in case the action has been taken in accord with manner specified or referral. Decision Process Step 1: To check if the project could be assessed using a process accredited under territory or state governments bilateral agreement or under a process accredited under Australian governments ministerial declarations. If the answer to the above question is yes proposed plan is to be assessed by any of these mentioned above and then state govt. prepares report on the same. In case the answer to the above mentioned question is No. In that case there are five possibilities which are accredited assessment (case by case), Assessment on referral information, Assessment on preliminary documentation, Assessment by EIS/PER and Assessment by public inquiry respectively. In first case, case by case, the actions are same as in case of the answer to the questions in step 1 was yes. In second case: An approval report has to be prepared by the by the department Then, It has to be publishes for public comments for 10 working days Finally, it is provided to minister for approval and will be judged within 30 working days. In third case: Minister could decide on two actions: publish information for public directly or can request more information from person who proposed the project. After publishing information proponent waits for the public comments and after 10 days presents revised report to minister. In case no comments were received from public information is re-published. Reviewing comments department prepares a report on the same and sent to minister. In fourth Case: Some tailored or standard guidelines are provided to proponent by the minister regarding drafting PER or EIS. Proponent then prepares it and ministers ask to get public comments after publishing it. Public comments are taken into account and then department prepares a report on the same and sent to minister. In fifth case: Various commissioners are appointed by minister and terms of references are set. An inquiry process is then conducted by the commission and report is submitted to minister. Step 2: Depending upon the date finalised report received minister makes decision within 20, 30 and 40 working days for assessment on referral information, assessment by a state/territory process, and assessment by inquiry or EIS respectively. Pitfalls of Environment Impact Assessment EIA (Environment Impact Assessment) legally sets up decision processes in Australia related to major developments. They follow a specific process which is recognised internationally, but their practises differ with places due to administrative and legislative nuances. One amongst others pitfall in EIA is post decision monitoring also known as follow-up. This section summarises the pitfalls in EIA taking case study Adelaide Desalination Plant as its base (Kampf and Clarke 2013). The project has three levels of assessments for EIA: Development Report, Public Environment Report and Environment Impact Statement. The examination of the project reveals that Adelaide Desalination Plants operating licences conditions are much softer than what has been reported by proponent of the project and approval situations imposed by territory (Kampf and Clarke 2013). A number of pitfalls have been detected in research which needs to be improved. They are: At present the EIS process and application for license are separate processes. Applying for the Operating license should be clubbed with the process of EIS Monitoring which is currently operated by operators must be undertaken by scientific experts. The information related to monitoring is incomplete and not accessible to public with needed scientific severity; just the information submitted to EPA is accessible to public. Hence, a step must be taken to improve this so that complete relevant information is accessible to public. A process must be developed by the state government which ensures the adherences to approval conditions. Environmental Impact Assessment of WestConnex The proposed modification for the WestConnex is seeking approval M4 Widening under which they have proposed for an off-road cycleway which would diverse cyclists from the westbound shoulder of the M4 motorway (Austroads 2010). Step 1: Screening At the start of the project it is initially screened for proper examination of environment analysis then it is decided whether or not EIA is required. In case No project is refrained from EIA, else proceed (Austroads 2010). Step2: Scope The scope of this assessment is to determine impacts of the project on the environment and considering measures to overcome them during construction and operation of M4 widening. Measures for mitigation and management have also been included while seeking approval. In case further modifications are needed, approval conditions would be amended as per need. The modification in the proposed project generated the following environment issues: Traffic and Transport Noise and Vibration Biodiversity Heritage Visual and landscape character Soil and Contamination Step 3: Impact Analysis Impact on Traffic and Transport If the suggested modification is made to traffic and transport it would not affect the general construction traffic impacts which have been mentioned in sec 8.1 of Environment Impact System. Impact on Noise and Vibration The department responsible for environment complained several times for the noise and reported it as a key environmental issue. As per the statistics are concerned 40 percent of all complaints registered to State of Environment regarding M4 widening was related to noisy vehicles. However it would not affect the proposed modification as it is only cycleway off-road and thus meets the operations noise goals. Impact on Biodiversity The area where the modification has been planned is dominated by non-indigenous and exotic species in a wide range and construction of planned cycleway will be affecting extra 0.0747 hectares of these species planted. EIS stated that the communities of ecology present in the proposed area are threatening to environment and have minimal importance in habitat values and floral diversity (Coffey 2015). Impact on Heritage None of the archaeological deposits, potential or sites or Aboriginal archaeological articles were discovered at the proposed area and no impact of the same were noticed. Impact on Landscaping and Visual Amenity Around the proposed cycleway, landscape character zones were discovered that mainly reflects the nature of the adjacent areas. The eastern section of the proposed area is largely on-ground which created a more closed contribution of character to recognized band of plants along the edges. Impacts on soil and contamination To investigate the impact of the proposed plan on soil and contamination, from the western section three test pits were undertaken. Bases on the results, it was stated that no soil contamination risk was found which was objectionable in the area. Hence it was concluded that management of ground water and soul intercepted or disturbed while construction goes on is required (Coffey 2015). Step 4: Mitigation and Impact Management Measures for traffic and transport In a plan construction by environment management department i.e. CEMP which also includes TAMP detailed how pedestrians, cyclists and motorists would be safely managed while construction for the M4 widening goes on (Coffey 2015). Measures for Noise and Vibration The NVMP (Noise and Vibration management plan) assures that EWMS will be created for construction area. They also considered that various measures would be undertaken to control the noise and vibrations while refining the report and will incorporate it on site if approval is achieved (Jacobs 2014). Measures for Biodiversity impacts An offset strategy was prepared for the biodiversity effects and got approved for the submission, in this strategy various processes were outlined which could help in threating caused by the proposed project. Measures for Heritage impact No impact was found on the same Measures for Landscaping The mitigation measures to overcome landscaping issues includes planting trees and plants along the edge and verges throughout the course which would provide shades and amenities to cyclists. Measures for Soil and Contamination The waste associated with soil contamination would be managed under SWMP plan which has already been approved by the CEMP authorities. They stated that extra testing needs to be done before confirming water organization for the supervision of piling spoil and excess embankment (Jacobs 2014). Step 5 6: Review and Conditions of Approval Environment Impact system discovered multiple outcomes which could happen to the environment and came up with various measures to handle them and implemented in desire to reduce impacts on society and ecology due to construction of M4 widening project. After considering reviews from minister the environmental management measures for the project were revised. The modified measures for the project management will be applied to the m$ widening project. The M4 Widening project, comprising of all the alterations reviewed and revised, along with approved modifications would be sent ahead for seeking approval (Jacobs 2014). In case it is approved it would be implemented in the project. References Hobday, A.J. and McDonald, J. (2014), Environmental Issues in Australia, Annu. Rev. Environment Resource. 2014. 39:128. Kampf, J. and Clarke, B. (2013), How robust is the environment impact assessment process in South Australia? Behind the scenes of the Adelaide seawater desalination project. School of Environment, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia. Fawzi, R., Ameen, M., Mourshed, M. and Li, H. (2015 a), BRE Centre of Sustainable Construction, School of Engineering, The Parade, Cardiff University, CardiffCF24 3AA,United Kingdom. Fawzi, R., Ameen, M., Mourshed, M. and Li, H. (2015 b), Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Karbala, Iraq. Environmental Impact Assessment in Australia, Theory and Practise, Third Ed. Artefact Heritage (2014) Non-Indigenous Assessment and Statement of Heritage Impacts Austroads (2010) Guide to Road Design. Coffey (2015), WestConnex Stage 1A M4 Widening Soil Contamination Report DECCW (2009), Interim Construction Noise Guideline HBO+EMTB Urban and Landscape Design (2015), Draft WestConnex M4 Widening Urban Design and Landscape Plan Infrastructure NSW (2012), State Infrastructure Strategy 2012-2032 Jacobs AECOM (2014), WestConnex M4 Widening Traffic and Transport Working Paper Working Paper 4 Jacobs SKM (2014),WestConnex M4 Widening Pitt Street, Parramatta to Homebush Bay Drive, Homebush Biodiversity Assessment

Organizational Culture and Its Importance Essay Example

Organizational Culture and Its Importance Paper There is no single definition for organizational culture. The topic has been studied from a variety of perspectives ranging from disciplines such as anthropology and sociology, to the applied disciplines of organizational behaviour, management science, and organizational communication. Some of the definitions are listed below: A set of common understandings around which action is organized; finding expression in language whose nuances are peculiar to the group (Becker and Geer 1960). A set of understandings or meanings shared by a group of people that are largely tacit among members and are clearly relevant and distinctive to the particular group which are also passed on to new members (Louis 1980). A system of knowledge, of standards for perceiving, believing, evaluating and acting . . . that serve to relate human communities to their environmental settings (Allaire and Firsirotu 1984). The deeper level of basic assumptions and beliefs that are: learned responses to the groups problems of survival in its external environment and its problems of internal integration; are shared by members of an organization; that operate unconsciously; and that define in a basic taken -for-granted fashion in an organizations view of itself and its environment (Schein 1988). Any social system arising from a network of shared ideologies consisting of two components: substance-the networks of meaning associated with ideologies, norms, and values; and forms-the practices whereby the meanings are expressed, affirmed, and communicated to members (Trice and Beyer 1984). This sampling of definitions represents the two major camps that exist in the study of organizational culture and its application strategies. The first camp views culture as implicit in social life. We will write a custom essay sample on Organizational Culture and Its Importance specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Organizational Culture and Its Importance specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Organizational Culture and Its Importance specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Culture is what naturally emerges as individuals transform themselves into social groups as tribes, communities, and ultimately, nations. The second camp represents the view that culture is an explicit social product arising from social interaction either as an intentional or unintentional consequence of behaviour. In other words, culture is comprised of distinct observable forms (e. g. , language, use of symbols, ceremonies, customs, methods of problem solving, use of tools or technology, and design of work settings) that groups of people create through social interaction and use to confront the broader social environment. This second view of culture is most relevant to the analysis and evaluation of organizational culture and to cultural change strategies that leaders can employ to improve organizational performance. BEHAVIOUR AND ARTIFACTS We can also characterize culture as consisting of three levels. The most visible level is behaviour and artifacts. This is the observable level of culture, and consists of behaviour patterns and outward manifestations of culture: perquisites provided to executives, dress codes, level of technology utilized (and where it is utilized), and the physical layout of work spaces. All may be visible indicators of culture, but difficult to interpret. Artifacts and behaviour also may tell us what a group is doing, but not why. One cartoon which captures this aspect shows two executives sitting at their desks in an office. Both have large billed black and white checked hats. One is saying to the other, I dont know how it started, either. All I know is that its part of our corporate culture. VALUES At the next level of culture are values. Values underlie and to a large extent determine behaviour, but they are not directly observable, as behaviours are. There may be a difference between stated and operating values. People will attribute their behaviour to stated values. ASSUMPTIONS AND BELIEFS To really understand culture, we have to get to the deepest level, the level of assumptions and beliefs. Experts contend that underlying assumptions grow out of values, until they become taken for granted and drop out of awareness. As the definition above states, and as the cartoon illustrates, people may be unaware of or unable to articulate the beliefs and assumptions forming their deepest level of culture. To understand culture, we must understand all three levels. One additional aspect complicates the study of culture: the group or cultural unit which owns the culture. An organization may have many different cultures or subcultures, or even no discernible dominant culture at the organizational level. Recognizing the cultural unit is essential to identifying and understanding the culture. Organizational cultures are created, maintained, or transformed by people. An organizations culture is, in part, also created and maintained by the organizations leadership. Leaders at the executive level are the principle source for the generation and re-infusion of an organizations ideology, articulation of core values and specification of norms. Organizational values express preferences for certain behaviours or certain outcomes. Organizational norms express behaviours accepted by others. They are culturally acceptable ways of pursuing goals. Leaders also establish the parameters for formal lines of communication and message content-the formal interaction rules for the organization. Values and norms, once transmitted through the organization, establish the permanence of the organizations culture. ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE IS ALSO A SYNTHESIS OF SUBCULTURES Sociologists discuss how distinct societies are composites of interacting subcultures rather than a single overarching culture. Organizations consist of subgroups that have specific characteristics and a sense of identification. Within organizations, people can easily classify themselves and others into various social categories or groups based on identification with their primary work group, occupational or professional skills, union membership, or age cohort. Subgroups in organizations can and do create subcultures that comprise specific networks of meaning; yet, at the same time, they remain associated with the ideologies and values of the organizations leadership. For example, at a macro level the culture that is attributed to the Department of Defense comprises the distinct cultures of the different military services and the corps of civil servants assigned to each service agency. A closer examination of each service culture reveals still greater cultural differentiation among occupational specialties, specific units within the service, and between line and staff personnel. Yet all of these subcultures adhere to the core ideologies, values and norms of the DOD. Numerous studies of organizational culture have highlighted that the formation and maintenance of culture requires interpersonal interaction within subgroups. For example, research led by Meryl Louis demonstrated the benefits of subgroup interaction to newcomers learning the ropes of the jobs. Survey respondents in their first job experience reported that the three most important socialization aids were: †¢Interaction with peers †¢Interaction with their supervisor Interaction with senior co-workers. Interaction with peers on the job was viewed as most important in helping newcomers becoming effective employees. Interaction is important for the acculturation of newcomers. Organizations do not, however, always have homogeneous subcultures. The explicit social products produced by subcultures within organizations can be widely diverse and even result in countercultures. Countercultures can have both productive and unproductive outcomes. Perhaps the key to a countercultures success (i. e. the promulgation of its ideology, values and norms) is the groups ability to demonstrate how its idiosyncrasies are consonant with the core ideologies, values and norms of the dominant culture. THE SYMBIOSIS BETWEEN THE ORGANIZATIONS OVERALL CULTURE AND ITS SUBCULTURES Some people may debate which comes first in an organization: the organizational culture or the organizations subcultures. The question that is relevant to the definition of Organizational Culture is how do the ideologies, values, and norms of subcultures compliment the organizational culture advocated by leadership? Explaining this relationship requires an understanding that cultures provide members with a reliable means to interpret a highly ambiguous environment. It is the leaders responsibility to specify the features of the environment that are relevant to the organization and then provide the supporting assumptions and rationale for its operating strategies. The leaders cultural messages should address ambiguities that are beyond the scope of any organizational subculture to explain to employees. Leaders should recognize that their cultural messages should specifically address cultural ambiguities associated with subculture practices within the organization, and limit their attempts to eliminate distinctions that are important to subcultures identities. In other words, leaders have a better chance of creating or transforming an organizational culture if they accept and foster productive organizational subcultures and consistently communicate how employees must perform in order for the organization to achieve its objectives. Cultural change then relies on leaders communication techniques that cross subcultural boundaries and carry messages about ideologies, values and norms that can be internalized by all employees. Memos and vision statements cannot achieve all of these objectives. Leaders, however, have a variety of sophisticated cultural communication techniques at their disposal to link subcultures to overarching cultural objectives of their organizations. The importance of Organizational Cultural can be derived from its definitions. An understanding of Organizational Culture can help a manager understand what the core value system of the company is and how is it a derivative of its culture or vice versa. The importance of Organizational Culture can be felt in all the spheres of an organization. Some of these are listed below. †¢Mission- e. g. , What is the organization’s core purpose? †¢Vision-e. g. , What is the organization’s overriding orientation? †¢Planning- e. g. , What processes does the organization use to actualize ideas? †¢Strategy for implementation of mission and vision- e. . , What kinds of concrete means for implementation of mission and vision does the organization utilize? †¢Measurements of success- e. g. , Does the organization have a system for continuous improvement? What kind of system(s)? †¢Overall organizational structure- e. g. , Does the organization have a flat structure? A hierarchical structure? What influence do staff have? †¢Supervisor y system(s)- e. g. , Do staff receive regular supervision? What is the content and context of the supervisory relationships? †¢Ã¢â‚¬Å"Everyday† language- e. g. What are the insider terms that staff members use? †¢Status and rewards- e. g. , Do staff get bonuses? Are they acknowledged in staff meetings for jobs well done? †¢Concepts of time- e. g. , Do meetings usually start on time, 10 minutes late? †¢Concepts of space-e. g. , Do staff have their own offices, do people usually keep their doors opened or closed? †¢Communication systems-e. g. , Is there an intranet, a staff newsletter? †¢Relationship(s) to external culture(s)- e. g. , Does the organization have a competitive relationship with other similar organizations? Individual/Group focus e. g. , Is the organization oriented more to individual or group needs? †¢Views on difference- e. g. , Are differences in race, sex, etc†¦ talked about? †¢Role delineation-e. g. , Are staff clea r on what their job description is or their roles in particular projects? As an employee in any type of organization can attest, organizational culture is as prevalent and as varied as individuals themselves. Organizational culture is enduring and complex, and may have both a positive and a negative effect on the staff and the workplace. In many ways culture will determine the survival of an organization over the long term, especially in volatile industries. Cultures that can be a liability to an organization include those that create barriers to change, create barriers to diversity or barriers to mergers and acquisitions. Understanding the organizational culture can help you to understand why change does not take place, or why a project fails. It will also help you to determine where to strive to make changes to the culture. As managers, why do we need to get a sense of the prevailing organizational culture? It is essential to understand the organizational culture if you want to make changes to how work is done, what type of work is being done, or at the broadest level, to affect the organizations standing in its industry. Understanding the culture and, as required, changing it, can mean the difference between attracting and retaining good employees and driving away the best employees with an environment that doesnt encourage, challenge, or reward them. For a new leader or manager, understanding the organizational culture that is in place is essential for success in providing direction, especially when the direction is different from what has come before. Are staff willing and eager to take on new challenges and to follow a new direction, or will they provide passive or active resistance to any changes? What is important to people today, based on their view of where the organization is and where it should be? Where are there disconnects between espoused values, such as the mission statement, and the over symbols and culture type? For example, if the organizations mission is to provide expert customer service, yet the strong hierarchical structure means that employees are not empowered to assist customers by providing creative solutions or dont have the required authority to provide responses or results, there is a disconnect. If an organization was eager to see positive change and the time was right for providing impetus to staff to follow a new path. The assessment of culture of the organization can reveal the opposite, however, which is just as valuable to managers. If there is resistance to change, if the espoused values of the organization dont match with the staff perceptions and prevailing culture, you must try to change the culture or change the objectives and mission to reflect reality. As a manager, it may not be possible for you to change the organizations overarching culture. Understanding the culture, howeverespecially if you want to adapt your departmental culture to create a more positive cultureis possible. Departmental cultures may differ greatly in organizations, depending on the leaders and the staff within those departments. You may not be able to have an effect on the organization overall, depending on your position in the organization and how large it is, but with work you will be able to make a difference at the library level. Some ways that you can try to change the organizational culture include reviewing the mission and vision for the firm with the staff to ensure that they are accurate. If changes are needed to reflect the reality of what you want to do and what you can do, then it should be done. For a start, make sure that departmental statements and staff actions reflect the type of culture you want. For example, to increase the market culture, try increasing the measurements of service activities and have staff involved in developing metrics and outcomes for services (as part of the performance management system, for example). Reward staff of particular service areas who respond to changes in customer demands through developing new programs or services. To reduce hierarchical culture, for example, begin by empowering staff to provide suggestions and to help implement their new ideas. You should also empower staff to make more decisions for their own areas of expertise. As the leader, one should always be aware of one’s actions and model the behavior one expects of the staff. Ensure that the statements one makes are consistent with the values and the symbols of the culture one would like to develop. One may not be able to change the overall organizational culture immediately, but the positive results and positive impact at the departmental level should have some level of spill-over effect onto other departments. Moreover, it will make it a more pleasant culture for everyone to be working in. CONCLUDING THOUGHT An understanding of organizational culture, and how important it is, is a crucial skill for leaders trying to achieve strategic outcomes. Strategic leaders have the best perspective, because of their position in the organization, to see the dynamics of the culture, what should remain, and what needs transformation. This is the essence of strategic success. BIBLIOGRAPHY †¢Goleman, Daniel. Emotional Intelligence. Bantam Books: New York, New York, 1995. †¢Stephen P. Robbins. Organizational Behavior, 8th edition †¢Schein, Edgar H. The Corporate Culture: A Survival Guide. Jossey-Bass Books: San Francisco, California, 1999. †¢www. wikipedia. org